Testimonials
"I teach music electives at Haverford High School in Havertown, PA and I am currently in my 22nd year of teaching. Two years ago, I started a special needs music class called Best Buddies Music to serve our life skills students at Haverford High School. This class has 8-10 life skills students and a couple of instructional assistants and peer helpers. We experience music together in this class through singing, piano keyboard, ukulele, boom whackers, bucket drums, Chrome Music Lab, and now marimbas! I work to develop creative materials that work for this specific population of students."
"At the end of last year, I was awarded a grant to purchase a set of mallet instruments for my Best Buddies class. I was originally planning on purchasing a set of Orff mallet instruments, but when I stumbled upon Peter's classroom marimbas in a YouTube video, I knew they were the BEST thing for my classroom. I was able to purchase three 3-octave marimbas from Peter using a combination of the grant and school district budget funds."
"The marimbas arrived expertly packaged in a large crate. There was zero damage in the long shipment from Oregon to Pennsylvania. I had the marimbas unpacked and totally ready to play in about 30 minutes."
"The marimbas are stunningly beautiful. They certainly are an attention grabber as soon as you walk into my classroom! Their looks are matched by their wonderful, rich, woody tone with fantastic intonation. From the second I played a note, I knew this was the best purchase of my 22-year music career!"
"My Best Buddies students LOVE playing on the marimbas! I have been putting 3 students on each marimba. Each student occupies one octave of the 3-octave marimba. We are already playing short arrangements using three parts (bass accompaniment, alto accompaniment, and melody). I especially like the size of the bars; they are a larger target than typical Orff instruments. I also like that these instruments are intended to be played standing up; that is more ideal for my high school-aged students than playing mallet percussion on the ground. These new marimbas have already brought lots of musical enjoyment to my special needs students and I look forward to using them with my students for years and years to come! They are a PERFECT fit for the needs of my students!"
September 2023
--Michael Fein, Music Department Co-Chair, Music Technology and Jazz Educator, Haverford High School
"I Shopped around looking for a professional level, 5 octave concert marimba, with a full, warm sound. Peter Bush worked with me to customize a marimba that deliverers a great sound consistently across the entire keyboard. The higher register is bright but warm, and the lowest notes actually move enough air to sing the fundamental notes clearly. The appearance of this marimba is very professional as well; the frame, resonators and keys are works of art, beautifully crafted. I've never played on a better marimba."
--T.J. Arko, Professional Percussionist
"If you are looking for great sounding African-style marimbas - look no further, you've found the best! Rosebush Marimbas are the best looking and best sounding marimbas. Peter is a joy to work with! He kept me up to date on progress during building and shipping. My favorite thing about our new marimbas is the way they sound! Warm, rich and satisfying! So pleasing to the ears! Definitely going to get a whole set!"
--Jerry Manto, Music Specialist, Katy, Texas
"Peter built our band's 5 marimbas in 1991. The instruments have held up beautifully all these years of constant use. A superb craftsman and wonderful to work with, Peter continues to offer outstanding professional service with any questions we may have."
--A Corvallis-based band, The Maharimbas (Hank, Jack, Sara, Chris, Liesl, Theresa, Logan, Hailey and Zdenka)
"In 2005 Peter provided an outstanding month-long exhibit of marimbas for the Salem Art Association. One of the most popular exhibits in Salem's history, people came back again and again to see and to play the beautiful instruments. Peter's artistry is remarkable."
--Sara Swanberg, Exhibits Director, SAA, 2001-2006.
"When I began contemplating teaching marimba after playing in two marimba bands over a period of eight years, I owned only a long soprano and a long tenor. I had seen Peter's instruments at a couple of marimba concerts and was intrigued by his approach to building marimbas. After several phone calls and some research, we struck a deal. He built for me two sopranos, one baritone, one long tenor, and one PHENOMENAL bass, all with resonators. Because I had in mind specifics for the bass, Peter and I sat down together to design it "the way I saw it". He was very open to suggestions and new ideas for creating the instrument as I described, and very easy to work with. The bass he built for me is a take-apart bass (much easier to move for gigs!) with two sets of legs - short for practice so the player can stand on the floor, not requiring the big box for playing, and tall for gigs when the resonators are added. The instrument is large, ten key, and has a wonderful sound. Subsequently I asked Peter to build me a three-octave soprano/tenor for two players, and that is a wonderful instrument as well."
"My students love to play on these instruments, and compete over bass parts, as the big bass is so fun to play. Learning to play marimba is such a joy on instruments of this quality. Thank you, Peter, for your attention to detail, quality of workmanship, and especially your ability to work with an idea and build a beautiful instrument."
--Larilee Flett
"The Marimbas made for me by Peter Bush are extrodinarily beautiful. I consider them to be works of art. In fact, I make sure that my students (some 300 PER DAY, 1500 students a week) are well versed on the "care and feeding" of these lovely instruments and the mallets that play them. I have given my marimbas names. They get tucked in every night under a cozy towel or sheet to keep the dust off. I am truly, hopelessly in love with my marimbas."
"This is because Peter Bush spends a great deal of time creating the perfect instruments for anyone's needs, be it a school music teacher like myself, or a professional concert musician in an orchestra. He custom designs each marimba to meet the needs of the player... even if that player is stuck within a school budget. I was able to come right out to his workshop to see exactly how my marimbas were being made, while he patiently explained all of the incredible tuning details he uses to make each note perfect."
"His craftsmanship is solid. The bars on the marimbas are made of beautiful hard wood. I never worry about my students, even kindergarteners, playing them because they can "take a beating". The frames are easy to transport and fold up into convenient storage. Peter even came out to give my darling instruments a little "check up" after I'd owned them for about 2 years, to make sure they were still well in tune (they were!) and didn't need any repairs. He stands behind his work."
"The unique qualities of Peter Bush's Marimbas make it so that any student can learn to play music successfully, being able to launch into 3-part harmony (in kindergarten!) within a matter of minutes. His marimbas have a dark, rich, beautiful tone, that resonates within my classroom daily. I love making music on Peter Bush's Marimbas... I highly recommend him."
--Val Ellet, Gilbert Park Elementary Music Teacher, David Douglas School District, Portland, OR
